Feds Probe Candidate With Possible Ties to Rep. Rivera

The FBI and Miami-Dade police have launched separate investigations into a Florida Democrat suspected of receiving secret help from Republican Rep. David Rivera, The Miami Herald reported Thursday.

The Herald has reported that campaign vendors say Rivera helped Justin Lamar Sternad, a political newcomer, in his failed primary bid against Joe Garcia. Garcia, a longtime Rivera rival, is now trying to unseat Rivera in the general election.

Investigators are looking at whether Rivera may have covertly funded and orchestrated Sternad’s $43,000 sophisticated mail campaign. Federal agents have been collecting campaign records and invoices and interviewing workers at two mail and data companies used by Sternad, the Herald said.